“Master…” I once again woke up to a warm and gentle voice.

I guess Bel is back. I opened my eyes and saw Bel in her usual maid uniform. Her expression is soft and gentle as she smiled warmly at me.

“Good Morning master, breakfast is ready and it’s almost time to go to school now.” Bel greeted me is a pleasant manner. I’m really thankful to Bel for being a good maid. If the morning went by like this, I don’t have anything more to complain.

Alas, fate really is something these days. Bel said something as I was eating breakfast.

“Master, the Missus told me to support you in this month’s mission.”

I dropped the spoon I’m using and the soup scattered all over the table. Bel immediately went to work and wiped some stains on my shirt. She also wiped the mess on the table. I sighed. I’ve totally forgotten about that.

Even if I’m not the successor of the family, my parents still give me some duties to fulfill. A usual family member has to go to a mission once a week. Even Bel is no exception. She had to leave over the weekends to complete mission from the higher-ups. I usually sleep the whole day during weekends and Bel does her mission so quick that she is back before I even notice.

Bel’s family, the Mejia Family is a branch of my Elliot Family. They are generations of maids and butlers that solely served our family with loyalty and care. Ever since Bel was born, her future path was determined. She underwent harsh training and lectures solely to be of use to me.

That said, I treat Bel with care not because she is my personal maid, but she is one of the servants here that understand my slothful personality. She doesn’t nag at me when I don’t do my morning practice and she let me sleep all I want. She is the perfect maid, for me at least.

Going back to the mission, regular members have to do a mission per week. Higher ups like the future head of the house, my brother, as well as my grandparents and parents, have the duty to arrange these missions for lower ranking members. Higher difficulty missions are usually lead by them and a couple of high ranking generals as well.

With that said, I protested to my parents that I don’t want to do these missions anymore, as I see no benefits from it. They went on with their nagging that it is one of the duties of the family and all that dumb stuff.

Jokes on them because my sloth is stronger than anything! After I ravaged a couple of missions as a rebellion, they agreed that they will only give me simple missions every month. Oh, I forgot to mention that if I keep messing up any more of these missions, they will solitary confine me for about a month or so. Now that I’ve given it a thought, solitary confinement doesn’t seem so bad. I’ll just hibernate for a month and it’ll be done before I know it.

As a member of the main family, a lot of people look down upon me because of this particular issue. The main family is supposed to be strong and harder duties fell upon their shoulders. I don’t care about what people think about me as long as I don’t get tired. To hell with their judgemental minds. It’s not like multiple achievements will make my mother notice me and make her proud of me.

My parents had given me this excuse that I still need to do these missions in order to make my body and senses still in shape. I think it is dumb as we rarely have to do anything these days. It’s not like as it was generations before where we have to fight for food. Survival of the fittest per se. Currently, technology has taken over the world and our existence is becoming more and more unknown to people.

The family tradition of making the bloodline pure made our numbers reduce drastically. Finding marriage partners is a chore these days and they want to prioritize the head of the family most of all. I’m pretty much sure that I will be single for the rest of my life, not that I care.

“The mission this time is transporting food supplies and other necessities.” I listened as Bel explained this month’s mission.

“If that’s all, why didn’t they just deliver it via courier, a lot of corporations deliver kinds of stuff for a small price.” I countered. Technology has been advanced these days, I can just order some service online that will deliver these things.

If it is that simple, but I guess my mother ordered Bel to assist me this time, I doubt it will be anything but simply delivering some stuff.

“I’m sorry Master but we are supposed to deliver it at our relatives at City T. They are secluded deep in the mountains and communications from outside the mountain forest is impossible.”. Bel answered. “Also, the Missus noted that there are miners currently dwelling inside the forest making it hard for our relatives to hunt for food. The mission includes helping our relatives on this particular issue.”

This mission was a simple one but it will be tricky for a single person to do it. Bel will be assisting me in this matter so if I leave everything to her, the mission will be over before I knew it. It’s a great opportunity to spend a few days away from the house as well. I thank my mother once for this relatively easy mission.

“When are we going to start?” I asked so I can free up my schedule for this vacation. Not that I have any plans in the first place.

“By the end of the month, it will take a little bit of time for the supplies to be ready.”

“Perfect. Prepare a lodging when we get there, I was thinking of going on a vacation after the mission, a few days is fine.” I might as well spent a few days sightseeing and spending some time with our relatives there, as I remember Aysha is at City T. I don’t know if she is secluded in the mountains like the others or not but I remember her as a noisy friend back then who often bothers me when I was still in the mountains.

“Understood, Master.”. Bel responded and I continued my meal and hastily made preparations for school.

***

Bel and I went to school separately. I sat on my usual spot and spent the rest of the time waiting for the teacher to arrive.

While waiting, I sensed someone staring at me. I shifted my head to the right and saw her. She’s glaring at me intently again.

I was on the verge of asking her what the heck is her problem but I stopped myself. I won’t let curiosity get the better of me. I promised myself to cut ties with her as soon as possible, that includes potential opportunities she may use in the future.

I averted my gaze and quietly waited for the teacher to arrive. I noticed in my peripheral vision that Bel is staring at me worriedly. Maybe that stare is far too long, one of her friends apparently noticed.

“You're looking at Kane again, Bel.” Her friend gave her a shy laugh, seemingly incorporating something.

“What? No. I’m not staring at him.” Bel returned to her natural expression as if nothing happened.

“You can’t deceive me, ever since that Lean transferred yesterday and was placed next to Kane, you seem awfully glancing at him more often.” Her friend retorted.

This time, Bel was flustered, she didn’t expect that her friends were watching her that closely. “I’m not staring that much. Something just caught my interest.” Bel tried to play it cool.

“If you don’t make your move, someone’s going to steal him from you.” Her friend teased her more.

She and her friends argued a little bit longer with Bel getting more and more flustered and her friends teasing her more. I guess she is kind of cute when she is flustered, different from her usual calm and gentle face.

The teacher arrived and the class once again came in order. Bel gave me one last worried look. I smiled at her to ensure that nothing is wrong and averted my gaze. Her friends saw the scene apparently mistook something and was whispering to one another. Maybe we should clear this misunderstanding later on.

The class went by and it’s time for lunch. I went to the cafeteria to ordered my usual food. I sat alone on my usual spot and started eating alone. At school or at home, I eat alone, this is nothing new to me anyways.

I noticed that Bel and her friends apparently sat two tables next to mine. They are whispering something and I noticed that Bel is more flustered than earlier. Somethings up. I should solve this misunderstanding before it becomes troublesome.

I was about to went over there to talk to Bel but something sat at the opposite side of my table. Seemingly innocent about the ways of the world, she was smiling while putting down her food on the table.

“May I sit here?” Lean, the girl I’m avoiding, wants to have lunch with me. Also, you're supposed to ask permission before you sit. I quietly retorted at the back of my mind. Bel’s friend also noticed and was in a mess. I wonder what they are after.

“Uhh, no?” I want to escape as soon as possible but Bel’s friends did something strange that even I didn’t expect.

Bel’s friend pushed Bel towards the other seat of my table. They also moved her lunch on my table. What the heck is happening right now?

“Do you mind if our friend eats lunch with you? We need to do something and leaving Bel alone seems wrong. So please keep her accompanied just this lunch.” Before I can even answer, they fled off seemingly proud of themselves as they thought they did something amazing for their friend.

I glanced at Bel looking for a possible explanation but I just saw her being flustered and fidgeting around. I glanced back at Lean but I saw her happily eating as if nothing is going on around her. This is hopeless.

Some students that saw the scene was actually surprised. Bel may not be as popular as the noble, Lean, but I guess some people find her attractive, she has our blood after all. Me eating with two beauties attracted the attention of all the men in the cafeteria.

“Look, look! The gloomy guy Kane is eating with the transfer student and Bel at the same time!”

“What? Since when did they get so close?”

These gossiping people. I got irritated and glared at them, hard. They shut their mouths and averted their gaze. Even so, I expect that some topics will circulate around the school after this.

I sighed and started eating my meal faster. I want to get out of here as fast as possible!